Masquerade & Disguise
by diabolikal rapture
Summary: The CSI's are given tickets to a Halloween ball. Disguise can change all of the rules.
1. Part One

**Title: **Masquerade & Disguise

**Author:** Diabolikal Rapture / Britt

**Summary: **The CSI's are given tickets to a Halloween ball. Disguise can change all of the rules.

**Disclaimer:** As much as I'd like to believe, I don't own CSI and everything associated with it.

**A/N:** First attempt at a new fic since my break. I think I might've lost my talent...or any talent that I had in the first place, haha. It's pre-season 6, Halloween-based, I know it's late and all, but my last Halloween fic wasn't anywhere near Halloween so I figured I'd continue my tradition. Excuse the title, it's pretty stupid, I just suck at naming things so it'll have to do, same goes for the summary. Rating might change in later chapters if y'all want me to continue. Hope y'all like it. Remember to review!

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**Masquerade& Disguise**

_Part One_

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Sara sighed as she looked at her reflection. She looked herself up and down once more. Soft curls fell around her face, while the rest of the curls had been pulled to the back. She was dressed in a Victorian-style gown, almost entirely black except for the corset, which was patterned with green silk and black lace. Her make up was done to match the dress, and it was then that she realized just how long it had been since she'd gotten dressed up like this, make up and all. A knock at her door pulled her attention away from the mirror. She quickly made her way to the front of her apartment and pulled the door open to find Catherine dressed in red and black. 

"Wow." Sara said as Catherine entered her apartment. She looked like she'd just stepped out of Moulin Rouge.

"Thanks." Catherine said as she spun around, showing off the back of the dress. "You look great too. It really suits you." She replied, noticing just how different Sara looked in a dress, all done up. "Now we just need to get you all laced up."

The two women went into Sara's bedroom. Sara felt strange having Catherine there, lacing her up into a dress. They weren't the closest of friends, and it wasn't often that she wore a dress, especially one like this. Her thoughts were cut off as she suddenly found it hard to breathe. She winced as the fabric closed in tightly around her chest, and she struggled to take in a deep breath.

"Sorry," Catherine grinned as she noticed Sara's reaction, "these things weren't made to be comfortable." She loosened the lacing a little as she finished tying up the back of the dress.

She let out a sigh as she looked at her reflection. She could breathe a little easier, but she felt as though she was more uncomfortable now than she'd ever been before. "Thanks."

Catherine simply smiled in reply as she looked at Sara's reflection in front of them. She felt a little proud, knowing that she had been the one that had convinced her to wear that dress, and to come to the ball at all. She just hoped that it would all pay off...

"We'd better get going." She said as she headed out to the front door. Sara followed her out after grabbing her purse and mask.

The trip there was in silence. The two of them didn't talk often outside of work, both knew it and both didn't try to make false conversation. Instead they both entertained themselves with their own thoughts. Catherine thought about her plans for the evening, while Sara began to regret agreeing to go at all. She felt as though she needed to be at work, even if they'd all been given the night off for the ball. She began to wonder why the crime lab had been given tickets to the Halloween ball. The tickets were a 'bonus' for all their hard work, but really it was just a freebie that a casino had given the lab for solving a high profile case.

Again she began to hate herself for letting Catherine convince her to go, to have fun, let go, and do something different, as her co-worker had said. She really did want to let go and have fun, try to be someone else for just one night. The mask and the dress would help her do that, but she didn't know if she would, or could, let herself go. She wondered who else would be there, hoping that a certain someone would show up although he more than likely wouldn't. Still, she let herself hope. Maybe that was her biggest mistake.

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Sara followed Catherine into the majestic ballroom. The room was filled with hundreds of people dressed in a variety of gowns and suits, all wearing masks of different shapes, sizes and colors. They were both reminded of their own masks and quickly pulled them on before making their way across the dance floor. They headed towards the bar, their meeting place with the guys.

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Nick was the first to take notice of the two women that had just taken a seat beside them. He discreetly gestured towards them, making Warrick turn to take a look at them. He turned back to Nick and nodded, before turning back to the woman beside him. "Hey," he simply said with confidence as he slid the bar stool a little closer to hers. She stared straight ahead, but he knew that she had heard him. He turned back to Nick for a little encouragement. When he turned back to her she appeared to have a large grin on her face that she was struggling to conceal. He frowned. Nick noticed Warrick's hesitation this time, and figured it was his turn to talk to the other woman.

He leaned against the bar, trying to get a good look at her face, although the mask made the task a little more difficult. Before he could say anything he noticed that she, like the woman beside her was desperately trying to conceal a smile, but was failing. He, like Warrick, was confused by their amusement, and felt the sudden urge to find a mirror and check his appearance, or check himself for body odor. The two women turned to each other and seemed to have a small conversation that neither of the men could hear. If they weren't feeling insecure about themselves before, they definitely were now. Warrick gestured to Nick for them to leave the bar and disappear into the crowd. Before they could move the two women turned to them.

"Hey yourself." Catherine said as her grin morphed into a smirk.

Warrick couldn't do anything more than stare. He couldn't believe that he hadn't recognized Catherine. Still, he couldn't bring himself to say anything, he could only laugh at himself.

"Is that how you pick up girls these days, huh Warrick?" She asked, amused by his 'tactics'. He really was struggling. He just shrugged in reply. His ego had received a recent battering, his dating skills really weren't as good as they used to be. Maybe he'd completely lost touch.

Sara gave Nick a once over, amused that he hadn't shown up in a cowboy outfit like he had said he would. The only dress code for the ball he'd violated was the lack of a mask. "Where's your mask Stokes?" She asked him she raised an eyebrow.

"Why would I want to hide a face like this?" Nick replied with a big cheesy grin.

She shook her head as she quickly thought of a reply. But before she could say anything her attention was drawn past Nick to the entrance of the ballroom. She didn't know why but she was drawn to him. As quickly as he'd come into her vision, he'd quickly left it as he disappeared into the crowded room. She turned her attention back to Nick. "Is it just us four here?"

"Nope, Greggo's out there somewhere," he said as he gestured to the crowded dance floor, "and I don't think Grissom will show." He thought he saw a glimmer of disappointment cross her features, but if she truly was disappointed, she was pretty good at hiding it. She smiled and turned back to the bar as she ordered a drink.

Soon Sara found herself alone at the bar. Warrick and Catherine had gone off to dance, Nick had become interested in a woman at the far end of the bar, and Greg was MIA. She sighed as she looked down at her drink. So much for letting herself go. She took another sip from the glass as she registered a presence beside her.

"Hey Sara," Greg said cheerfully as he took a seat next to her.

"Hey Greg."

"You look great!" He said a little to enthusiastically. She began to wonder if he really meant it.

"So do you. Nice and simple...I wish I had of thought of that," She said as she admired his costume. A tux and a simple black mask that barely covered half of his face.

"Tarantino inspired." He replied coolly. She raised an eyebrow, not entirely sure what he was talking about. "The Crazy 88? Kill Bill?" She shook her head. She'd never watched it, too much violence. She got enough of that in her own life. He sighed. "Wanna dance?"

"Umm..." She fought her first thoughts. Initially she wanted to say no, but she realized that this was the perfect opportunity to have a little fun. "Sure," she replied with a smile.

She followed him into the center of the dance floor where Warrick and Catherine were already dancing. Greg took her hand and gently pulled her closer to him, as they began to dance to the music. She'd expected some kind of tacky Halloween themed music from the 80's, but it was completely different. She became self conscious of herself, realizing that her co-workers really hadn't ever seen her dancing before. Greg noticed her hesitation. "C'mon Sara, loosen up." He said with a grin as he threw his arms around like he'd just suffered a mental break, "Go crazy!" She couldn't help but laugh.

Songs passed, and she soon realized that she was extremely thirsty, and a little tired from the dancing. She had to admit she was having an amazing time, although it was hard for her to convince Greg of that. Over and over he'd continuously asked her if she was having fun in that annoying Greg kind of way. And over and over she replied that she was, because she truly was. But now she needed a break. "You havin' fun?" He asked her for the millionth time.

"Yeah." She yelled over the music. "I'm gonna go get a drink, I need a break." She yelled over the music.

"You sure you're having fun?"

"Yes Greg, I'm sure." She replied, this time with a hint of annoyance. He grinned as she walked away from him. He'd accomplished his task...make Sara Sidle have fun.

She shook her head as she made her way to the bar. Why was it so hard to convince other people that she, Sara Sidle, was having fun? She ordered a drink and took a seat as she waited. She registered a presence beside her and inwardly groaned.

"I told you Greg, I'm having fun, you don't need to..." She began, assuming that it was Greg who had taken a seat beside her. She quickly stopped herself as she realized that it wasn't Greg. A blush quickly crossed her face beneath her mask, "I'm sorry I thought you were someone else..." She said as she realized it was the man she'd noticed entering the room earlier. Again she found herself drawn to him. She wanted to move, to get away from the bar where she'd just embarrassed herself. But she didn't move, she remained perfectly still, and she knew that it was because of him. He remained silent beside her. She tried to get a better look of him, of his face, but his mask covered almost the entirety of it, except for a small corner of his mouth. She still couldn't figure out why she was so drawn to him.

Before she could register it he had taken her hand, and had begun to lead her towards the dance floor.

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	2. Part Two

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**Masquerade & Disguise**

_Part Two_

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The music had now changed to something slower, more hypnotic as he led her to a space on the dance floor. For a moment they stood across from each other, before he extended his arm. She placed her hand within his as he gently pulled her closer to him. His hand came to rest on her hip, as hers found its place on his shoulder. They began to move along to the music, becoming victims of its rhythm as they slowly spun in circles on the floor. She didn't anticipate his touch affecting her this much. She found herself trying to calm her breathing, to silence her thoughts and instincts, and keep her mind in the moment. Sara glanced across at her hand in his. Yet another mystery about this man...even his hands were hidden from her behind the veil of gloves. She looked down at the space between them. She began to wonder if he was suddenly shy and hesitant, or he was simply being courteous, trying not to invade her space too fast and too soon. Considering the way they'd ended up on the dance floor, she believed the latter. 

She felt his grip on her hip tighten slightly as they continued to spin along with the music. She wondered if this was somehow a reaction to the thoughts she'd just processed, trying to analyze the situation. She hated herself for it, for trying to figure out why he had chosen her, and why she was still there in his arms. The truth was, she wanted to be there, whether the more 'sensible' half of her wanted it or not. He'd chosen her without knowing her name, without seeing her face, without knowing a single thing about her.

The only thing they both were aware of was the attraction between them; an attraction which caused her to boldly move closer to him. The space between them quickly disappeared as she pressed her chest up against his and draped her arm over his shoulder. The sudden warmth against her caused her to breath in, inhaling his scent, something oddly familiar and yet...mysterious, alluring. He moved his arm around her waist possessively, pulling her even closer to him. He was strong, though completely gentle. She found herself once again trying to gain a greater view of his face, but was met with the mask once more. They continued to dance as the music began to slow. She lowered her head to his shoulder as they slowly rocked back and forth. The attraction between them was magnetic. But again, she began to analyze the unique situation that she found herself in. Dancing with a stranger. But did that matter? Wasn't it all just useless information that she didn't _need_ to know? And his appearance? What did that matter? She didn't need any of that. All that she needed was to feel the way that she did in his arms, the way her body felt against his...that was all.

Sara glanced across the room, spotting the open doors leading to the balcony, beckoning her away from the dance floor. She found herself desperately seeking fresh air, whether it was for the sake of breathing or for another reason entirely. He seemed to immediately notice the distraction, almost as though he could read her thoughts, as well as everything else about her. He placed his hand at the small of her back as he gently guided her to the balcony. He paused by the doorway as she made her way out into the open space. She quickly removed her mask as she leant against the balcony, admiring the sight of the city lights before her. She felt free from the restriction of the mask, and at the same time felt exposed. Sara cast a quick glance back at him, realizing that it was now she who had placed space between them as she gripped onto the railing. She felt the sudden urge to speak to him, to hear his voice. She'd spoken to him, but only when she'd mistaken him for Greg, otherwise they'd been in silence.

She turned around to face him, finally gathering the courage to ask what that tiny part of her wanted to know. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could let out a sound he had moved towards her, closing the distance between them in a single stride as he placed a single gloved finger on her lips. Her heart raced as she looked up through his mask, into his eyes. He gently shook his head as he lowered his finger. Such a simple action, and yet, she completely understood. She continued to gaze into his eyes, something about them, magnetizing, they drew her in. She registered how close they were to each other, and found herself holding her breath as his hands found their place on her hips. She kept her focus on his eyes as he moved one, no ungloved hand to her face, gently caressing her cheek. She closed her eyes as she leant into his touch, savoring how his skin against hers made her feel. He moved his hand to her chin, lifting her face closer to him as he slowly leaned in, giving her enough time to pull out. She leaned in closer to him, pressing her body against his as his lips gently brushed against hers. She felt his mask move to the side as the extent of their attraction was reflected through the kiss as it deepened, becoming more passionate and fiery in intensity.

He pulled away from her as they both gasped for oxygen. He stepped back from her, almost as though the kiss between them hadburned him, as if he'd been startled. She frowned. She now had a view of his mouth, the most she had seen of his face up until that moment. She moved closer to him, watching as his body tensed as she raised her hand to the mask. She tossed between moving the mask to its original place, or removing it all together. She held the corner of the mask in her hand as he gripped onto her hand gently, and pushed the mask back, revealing to her his face.Her body and thoughtsfroze. He watched her as she tried to shake the state of shock she had fallen into. She couldn't believe it. How could she not realize that it had been him...his eyes, his stance, his touch...All along, it had been Grissom...

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No surprises there, lol. Thanks for the great response! Gotta heart the new features, now I can personally reply to everyone's comments :) Seeing as it's no longer allowed to right replies to reviews in chapters anymore, I'll just say thank y'all for the reviews for the 1st chapter! Sorry for taking a while to update, couldn't get started, and once I did it took me about 4 hours to write even a third of it. I don't know why it was so challenging to write. Hope y'all liked this chapter, couldn't have had Sara with anyone else for this fic, just returning to my GSR roots, lol. Review if ya want me to continue, and I'll reply to your reviews now that I can. Lemme know what y'all would like to see happen/ **Britt**


	3. Part Three

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**Masquerade & Disguise**

_Part Three_

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Sara stared at him, at those eyes and cursed herself for not recognizing them instantly. She balled her fists as shedesperately fought back tears and the emotions that threatened to consume her. She didn't know what to do, whether to run as fast as she could, scream at the top of her lungs, throw herself off of the balcony or collapse into acrying mess on the floor. The tears that were beginning to form stung, and she wondered what emotion was behind their emergence. Did she feel betrayed? Or maybe her dream had finally came true...She searched his eyes, his face, looking forsome kind ofexplanation, anything to explain what had just happened, among other things…But nothing. He simply observed her, studied her as though he was monitoring his effect on her, the results of this possible 'experiment'. 

She didn't know what to say, what to think, what to feel. It was all so overwhelming. What did he expect of her? Should she say something? Should she leave? Should she wait for him to do something? Her mind continued to race, as did her heart. He'd known all along that it had been her, it wasn't hard to recognize her beneath that small mask. He could've been watching her, waiting for her, and for what? Unlike him, she had been completely oblivious. She saw him, although she didn't truly see him, and she had bee attracted to him instantly, unknowing of his identity. No wonder he'd seemed so familiar to her, and yet so foreign. The attraction was familiar, but the situation...that was something else entirely. She'd taken a huge step, trying to be someone different, to let herself go…Had he done the same? His intentions still remained unknown to her, but she began to worry. What would he think of her now?

He watched her as she continued to stare at him.She appeared to have found her way out of the shock of it all, and into the difficult task of trying to analyze the entire situation. He knew what she was feeling. He had been battling millions of questions for the past few days, analyzing them all in detail, wondering, hoping, wishingfor something like this. For hours he'd pondered questions, wondering if he should or shouldn't go through with it, whether he should show his face, or wait until she'd shown him that she was completely comfortable...and still attracted to him, whether she could see his face or not. It had all proved to him what he hadbelieved all along. Their attraction was magnetic, it was strong, and it was unbreakable, undeniable, especially now. He'd hurt her before, he'd regretted it all, and as much as he wanted to repress everything concerning Sara, he just couldn't do it anymore. He couldn't forget, learn to live without, and obviously she couldn't do the same.

He'd planned this all out. Everything so far had gone according to plan, it was this part of the night which he couldn't hope to predict. So many variables, so many different outcomes...he could only hope...watch, wait...he knew he should say something to her, but what? Apologize? He wasn't sorry...He frowned. Now her eyes looked away from him. The tears that threatened to fall glimmered in the light. He didn't mean to make her cry. But then...he really wasn't sure what he meant to do after all. Sure he wanted to prove their attraction, but what then? He found her forcing herself to look away from him, to focus her eyes on anything but him. She crossed her arms across her chest. She felt exposed; her stance told him that. He took a deep breath, taking the next step that he needed to take. He stepped forward, his arm reaching out for hers.

"Sara..." He soothed.

She pushed past him and hurried inside, disappearing into the costumed crowd. He sighed. At least she didn't seem overly angry with him. He struggled to follow her as she headed for the exit.

"Sara!" He called out to her, trying to get her to turn around, to wait for him, but she continued on, completely ignoring his calls.

"Is that Sara?" Catherine asked Warrick before he spun her. He followed her gaze, spotting his co-worker as she hurriedly made her way out of the ballroom.

"Looks like it."

"I wonder what's..." She began as Sara disappeared, and her attention became drawn to another person, someone who seemed to be following Sara outside...someone who seemed awfully familiar. "Is that...Grissom?" She asked in an almost disbelieving tone. She watched as the familiar man quickly followed Sara out, disappearing from her sight. She shook her head. It couldn't have been Grissom. He wouldn't be caught dead at one of these things. Warrick looked to the doorway once more but didn't see Grissom, as Catherine had claimed.

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"Sara, please wait..." He pleaded with her for the 12th time since they'd left the ballroom. She'd quickened her pace, increasing the distance between them as she headed towards the front of the casino. She exited the front doors which automatically closed behind her.

He quickly made his way outside and sighed; no sign of her. She'd disappeared. He'd lost her. He slowly shook his head, ready to admit defeat. This definitely wasn't how he had imagined things. He turned to lean against the wall adjacent to the exit, but was immediately stunned by the sight before him. There she stood, watching him with inquisitive eyes.Now thereseemed to be no trace of anger, at least, none that he could detect...just questioning. He joined her against the wall and focused on the fountain across from them. He couldn't bring himself to look at her in fear of what her eyes might say to him, and further what she might actually say to him. Why had he become so afraid? Wasn't this what he had prepared himself for? Wasn't this what he wanted to happen? Well, not exactly like this...

He finally looked at her. She was about to ask him something, but stopped herself, swallowing whatever the original question had been. "Can you drive me home?"

That definitely wasn't what he was expecting. He nodded, offering his arm as they began to walk towards the car park. She looked at his arm, and then his face before reluctantly interlocking her arm with his. She rolled her eyes at herself. What was she doing?Grissom tried to gather his thoughts as they continued to walk. They soon found themselves underground, in almost complete darkness except for the flickering neon lights scattered throughout the parking lot. Neither of them spoke as they headed towards his vehicle. At that moment Sara was honoring the 'if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all' code, while Grissom fought himself over what to say, and in doing so kept himself in complete silence, not wanting to worsen the situation.

They stopped at the passenger side door. At first she blocked his path, preventing him from opening the door as she stared into his eyes. She tried to channel all of her thoughts into her gaze. She wondered if he could read her, if he knew exactly what she was thinking. Whether he knew that she'd already decided that she would regret this night in the morning, that she'd hate him, and still love him like she always had, and that she was willing to take this situation a little further, 'cause what did it matter? She was already going to regret it all in the morning. She had him focused entirely upon her face, upon her eyes. Sara knew that he was trying to figure her out. She felt that she was having a little more luck in that department. She now figured that she knew some of the reasons behind his actions; to prove that what they have cannot be denied. Even without seeing his face, hearing his voice, knowing his name and identity, she was drawn to him. At least now Grissom would be aware of the attraction, and not simply oblivious to anything between them. At least now, it was her turn to show him how undeniable their attraction was, how much he'd want her, even if he didn't have a mask to hide behind.

Grissom finally broke himself out of the daze he'd fallen into. As lame as it would sound, he'd lost himselfin her eyes, and could've sworn that she was trying to speak to him through them. He cleared his throat as she continued to watch him. He moved closer to the car, reaching around Sara's body for the door handle. She moved closer to him, preventing his hand from reaching the handle, causing him to withdraw it back to his side. A smirk formed on her face, and at that moment Gil Grissom realized that he was in trouble. Yet again she moved closer to him, and before he could process it all she had him against the car, her body pinned up against his, pressing him against the metal. He tried to speak, but his words stuck in his throat and came out as nothing but an incoherent mumble. She smiled a mischievous smile, knowing that she had him exactly where she wanted him.

She pressed her body further into him as she brought her gaze up to his. He looked down at her, and she was certain that there was a hint of fear in his eyes. She wrapped her arms around his neck, mimicking the position they had been in during their dance. She tilted her head, creating the perfect angle as she pulled his head to hers, locking them into a kiss that easily out did the kiss on the balcony. The heat between them was intense, so intense that Sara even struggled to keep her mind focused. She was going to prove her point, as enjoyable as this all was for her. She broke the kiss as she shifted her weight against him, the affect making itself known through his sharp intake of breath. She smirked as she slowly moved her lips to his ear.

"How does it feel Griss?" She whispered just loud enough for him to hear.

He gulped hard as the hairs on his neck stood on end, tickled bythe sensation of her breath against his skin. He wondered if she was trying to be as seductive and appealing as she was now, or if it just came to her naturally. Again he stumbled over his words, unable to form anything closely resembling a word. She looked at him once more, burning this image of a hot and bothered Gil Grissom into her mind, knowing that she, and she alone had this affect on him. She was tempted to continue, but she was pleased with herself, at least for now. She moved away from him and waited for him to open the passenger door for her.

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Thanks for the reviews!Sorry for the delays in updating. Hopeit was worth the little wait. I have no diea where to go from here, any suggestions?As always, let me know what y'all think, love to hear from you / **Britt**


	4. Part Four

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**Masquerade & Disguise**

_Part Four_

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Gil Grissom sat at his desk, paperwork in hand as he tried once again to concentrate on the work before him. He couldn't seem to keep his mind focused on anything...anything, but Sara. He'd caught a glimpse of her in the corridors, and spent an agonizing few minutes handing out assignments, desperately trying to focus on anything within the room but her. He was amazed that he'd managed to stand in the same room with her without completely losing his mind. He was trying to minimize his interaction with her, because at that point in time he had no clue as to how he would react, how he'd be able to talk to her, sustain a civilized conversation without thinking of the events of the night before. 

It was all too much for him to handle in a span of less than 24 hours. He never could've imagined that in one night, in one single meeting their relationship would move forward so quickly, only to be lashed back to a familiar place for him. But now, more than ever, he was terrified of what would, or would not happen between them. He sighed heavily as he tried once again to immerse himself in the large pile of paperwork stacked up in front of him.

Catherine strode into Grissom's office, intent on sharing with him some very interesting news. But her intentions were cut short. He hadn't even noticed her enter the room. She watched him, waiting for him to acknowledge her presence, but instead he continued to stare down at the paper in his hands, or rather stare _through_ the paper in his hands. He was lost in his thoughts, he often was, but this time, something seemed different. No longer able to keep the news to herself, she sprung forward, trying to make as much movement as possible in that single action, before taking a seat in front of his desk. She frowned, still no reaction. Grissom really was off with the fairies. She cleared her throat, "Earth to Grissom! Snap out of it!" she said as she snapped her fingers and waved her hands in the air. Finally he looked up at her, and she suddenly felt extremely stupid.

"The ball was amazing, you know you really should've gone.." She trailed off as she tried to think of the perfect way to share what she knew with him. He simply watched her, knowing perfectly well that she hadn't entered his office just to tell him what he had missed. She wondered if he was even listening to her, or was still trapped in his thoughts. She shrugged and continued anyway. "Well, everyone looked gorgeous, it was great. But the best thing happened afterwards. We all headed down to the parking lot..."

Grissom's attention quickly snapped back to Catherine. "The parking lot?" He interrupted, feeling his heart rate begin to increase, and almost certainly his blood pressure. His face turned red, the papers in his hands now shuffled with the involuntary shakes, and he could feel himself breaking out into a sweat. He'd begun to freak out, and there was no way he could calm himself down, not now. Catherine watched him, his reaction amused her, though it had startled her as well. She never thought that three little words would do this to him. She remained silent. Something was going on.

"What did you see in the parking lot?" Grissom asked, almost demanded.

"What did _you_ see in the parking lot?" Catherine shot back, still amused by it all. She knew that it had been him she'd seen flee from the ballroom.

Grissom seemed to freeze up. He had no idea what he should say, what he should do, whether he should say anything or just sit there in a frozen state. He continued to fight himself, conflicted over what action to take, what he could possibly say to keep Catherine quiet. He needed to explain things. He needed her to understand what had happened before she drew any conclusions about both him and Sara. More importantly he needed to explain to help him himself understand exactly what had happened. Before he could stop himself, he heard the words leave his mouth, almost as though someone else was speaking them for him. It all spilled out, from his arrival at the ball until the events in the parking lot. He finally finished rambling, and found himself struggling to get oxygen into his lungs.

Catherine remained quiet. Even if they all knew about Grissom and Sara's attraction, she was surprised by it all. Never had she imagined that either of them would ever actually act on it. And not like that. She struggled to repress a smirk. Grissom had finally made a move. He'd dared to play with fire,and the fire played back. But just how burned had it left him? She didn't dare tell him that that wasn't she had meant by the parking lot. Instead she continued to remain quiet as Grissom re-thought through the entire situation once more.

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"So you had fun last night?" Nick asked as he and Sara walked through the corridors.

"Yeah..." She replied pretty absent-mindedly, but Nick let it slide.

"Where'd you disappear off to? We were looking for you."

"I left early." She said abruptly. She really didn't want to be giving away any details from last night. She really didn't want to be talking about it at all.

"That's too bad. You missed all the action in the parking lot." Nick said as he shot her a wink.

Her heart skipped a beat. What exactly did he mean by that? And what did that wink mean? Did he know? She could've died right then and there. But she held herself together and fought the urge to begin to hyperventilate. She stayed silent, waiting for him to continue.

"Well, we couldn't find you, but we couldn't find Greg, or Brass either,so we just left. We headed down to the parking lot, and who did we find?" He paused, and he could've sworn that Sara looked afraid of what he was about to say. He frowned, but continued anyway. She'd been acting strange all shift. "Greg and Brass, drunk out of their minds. Both stripped of their jackets and shirts, their ties wrapped around their heads, swinging their removed clothing above their head as they ran up and down the parking lot singing." Nick broke out into laughter at the mere thought of that night in the parking lot. Greg and Brass would never live this one down. But that's why they'd both mysteriously called in sick today.

Sara smiled. Not so much about Greg and Brass, but knowing that Nick didn't know anything like she had first feared. She was lucky she'd kept her mouth shut, otherwise she would've told him everything. She sighed as they passed Grissom's office, and she dared to steal a glance inside. There he sat at his desk, pen in hand, working as if nothing had happened at all. Typical. She parted ways with Nick as she entered the break room, trying her best not to break out into a rage and break everything within the room. How could he just sit there? How could he just ignore it all? She certainly couldn't, but that's how it had always been. Why had she suddenly believed that anything could go any differently? She hated herself, but she hated him more. Her hopes had gotten so high, and she'd stupidly let them. She'd allowed herself to hope, because for once in her life she believed there was reason. But no. He'd driven her home. He'd looked at her, watched her, waited for her...And so she took her cue, she leant across the center console, bringing her face to his. But he had pulled away. He'd turned his cheek to her, just as he'd done for years. To her, that was the last straw. Whatever they had, whatever they could have had...it was done. And it obviously had meant nothing at all.

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Catherine wandered the halls, alone with her thoughts. She _needed _to talk to someone about what she knew, but she knew that she couldn't. She couldn't betray Grissom like that. And yet she couldn't bring herself to speak to him. She passed his office, his door closed, silently and discreetly warning her to stay away. She continued to wander, finding herself near the break room, unoccupied except for one single soul. She headed straight to the table where Sara sat, and looked back out into the lab. She and Sara rarely spoke about anything really, but at that moment she knew she wanted to say something. Hell she _needed_ to say something. She looked across at Sara. She stared down into the coffee mug in her hand. The sight reminded her of Grissom and his paper work. Only Sara was different...she seemed almost angry, her brows furrowed, her lips pursed. Catherine considered leaving, but something kept her there.

"Sara, you okay?"

"Hmm?" Sara mumbled as she looked up at her co-worker, "I'm fine." She looked back down into her mug.

Catherine frowned. She wasn't going to get anything out of her. Sara looked at her again, and Catherine raised an eyebrow in response, almost prompting her to say whatever it was that she was thinking.

"I just..." Sara began as movement outside the break room caught Catherine's attention, "...need to be alone."

_Well that isn't going to happen_. Catherine quickly stood as Grissom stopped in the doorway. She made herself scarce, knowing that she definitely didn't want to be in that room. Grissom silently thanked her for leaving as he stepped into the room. Sara glanced back, wondering where Catherine had gone so quickly, and she found her answer. She pushed the chair back and stood. She didn't need this, not now. He froze. The expression on her face said it all, and he didn't know what to say. She began to move towards him, his heart skipping a beat, her shoulder brushing against his as she tried to push past him. He couldn't let her leave. Not without leaving things unsaid...Not again.

He grabbed her arm, preventing her from leaving him. She glared at him as she pulled her arm free from his grip. She bit back the words that were threatening to exit her mouth, once again trying to exit the room. This time he stepped back, his frame blocking the doorway. Again she glared at him.

"Sara please, just let me..." He began as she tried to push him out of the way. She felt trapped, ambushed, and she hated it. It wasn't fair. "Sara, _please_." Grissom pleaded, but it was no use. Knowing that hishopes to explain himself had been shutdown, he stepped away from the doorway, watching her leave him once again. This time he was certain that he had lost her.

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Thanks for the reviews. Sorry for taking so long. And sorry for taking it down this road, making Sara angry, haha. She needed to be angry, coz I'm angry right now. What is wrong with guys? I tried to use everyone's suggestions somehow, kinda twisted StwbrryCSI's idea around a little, Brass was still involved, although now that I've finished it, I think I should've completely gone with your idea. I still have to choose between the two options. I have a little ideas about where I'll go next, I promise the next chapter will actually accomplish something with their relationship! The next may be the last.Please review and let me know what y'all think. Suggestions and ideas always welcome, and seriously encouraged/ **Britt**


	5. Part Five

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**Masquerade & Disguise**

_Part Five_

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Catherine handed him a steaming cup of coffee as he continued to stare off into the distance. He'd thought of all the perfect words he could possibly say to Sara, the words that would make her forget about what he had done and push her straight into his arms. He sighed heavily. Even if he could somehow think of the perfect thing to say and manage to get them out without stumbling all over himself, all the perfect words would be so wrong now. He stared down at the swirling steam and wondered if he'd ever be able to get Sara to forgive him. 

Catherine remained silent as Grissom entertained his thoughts. But after almost an hour of complete silence, excluding the occasional grunt and sigh he gave off, she realized that she couldn't take it anymore.

"Look Gil, I know you asked me here to help you, but I really don't know what to say." She said, breaking the silence.

He looked up at her and frowned. She'd always been able to talk him through things, to give him guidance and advice with things or people that he wasn't particularly good with….such as Sara. It was Catherine who had given him the courage to make amends with Sara, to apologize to her when she was determined to leave the lab.

"All I know is, a pot plant isn't gonna cut it this time." She said, realizing that initially she didn't think that a pot plant would even work the first time. Catherine sighed. She felt a little guilty, she had after all convinced Sara to go to the ball. But then again, she'd never imagined that Grissom would make an appearance, or that he would've done what he had. He'd gotten himself into this on his own, and as much as she wanted to help him, she couldn't give him a quick fix. With that in mind she decided that she really wasn't of any help to him there, and she needed to head home.

Grissom shut the door after her, and resumed his trail of thought. He knew what he had to do, what he had to say, and yet he had no idea how he should carry out these things. He needed to explain himself fully, let her understand…That is, if she'd even give him the chance to try. He knew that she must at least know what his motivation was behind it, why he couldn't do what he did without the costume….And why he didn't allow things to happen later on that night. He began to wonder if she was even thinking about him, if she was analyzing the situation in her mind for the millionth time that day, or if she'd erased him and everything that had happened completely from her memory. He glanced across the table and eyed his car keys. He found himself with a sudden burst of motivation, a tiny voice telling him to go to her now, to break down her door if need be, and tell her everything he'd ever wanted to say, whether she wanted to hear it or not. He grabbed his keys and headed out the door as quickly as possible, hoping that this increase in speed would ensure that this voice stayed with him and didn't go back into the dark recesses of his mind.

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Sara sat cross-legged on the couch, fully clad in her favorite pajamas with a bar of chocolate on her lap. She'd fallen into her routine, the routine she often fell into after a bad break up. She felt herself analyzing this, questioning why she was doing this now. They hadn't broken up, for that to happen they would've had to have been together, and Grissom was certainly too stubborn for that to happen. But then again, their relationship was broken. She cursed herself for ever allowing herself to hope once more, and for him giving her a reason to hope, when really he was still just as stubborn as ever. She popped another piece of chocolate into her mouth as she decided to discard thoughts of the Grissom kind, and immerse herself in the television before her.

Her concentration held for a minute or two before her thoughts came roaring back to _him_. She just couldn't figure him out. The attraction between them couldn't be denied, even before that night. Without seeing his face she was drawn to him, without knowing his identity she'd put her trust in him. They'd practically consolidated their relationship with that one kiss, and then later in the parking lot. What more did Grissom need? A big sign with flashing neon lights that told him to get on with it or forget about it entirely? She set the chocolate aside and switched off the television. She was past the comforting routine, now she needed that other routine. She headed into the kitchen and retrieved a bottle of tequila. It was time to forget, at least until the morning.

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Grissomstared at her door. He stood there for what seemed an eternity. He knew how he'd gotten into this mess. He knew why he lived the life he did. If he kept to himself, immersed himself completely in his work, he could avoid moving forward in life, and prevent himself from creating a past, full of memories, painful or otherwise. But there he was, standing at her door, ready to change all of that, ready to move forward, to try and create something he could look back at in future years and remember with a smile, or perhaps with tears. Either way he was sick of holding himself back, of denying his emotions, and of denying hers. He'd already started something, he'd already taken a huge step, and he knew that Sara had done so as well. They had something that was undeniable, and he swore at that moment on her door step that he'd never deny it again. He filled his lungs with oxygen, knowing that it was entirely up to him. He knocked on her door a little too frantically, and took a step back.

Sara glared at the door, content with ignoring whoever it was on the other side. She took another shot of tequila, hoping to remove another thought or memory from her mind. The knocking sounded again. She decided that she couldn't ignore it any longer. Or could she? She toyed with the idea for a moment, but her thoughts her once again interrupted by the knocking at her door.

"Alright!" She directed towards the door. She crossed her apartment as she cursed under her breath. Sara was ready to give the source of the knocking a piece of her mind.

She swung the door open as wide as it could go and drew in a breath, ready to start hurling various obscenities when the identity of the man at her door knocked all thoughts and words from her mind completely. Grissom simply stood there in silence, waiting to be invited inside. She didn't know what to do, she couldn't process anything at all. The shock quickly faded as her anger returned. He registered the change in her facial expression and knew that he was losing his chance. He stepped forward, closing the space between them as he began to gather a sentence together. Before it could leave his mouth she had decided what to do, and in an instant the door began to slam shut. He quickly put his foot in the doorway, catching the door just before it had completely closed.

"Sara, please, just wait." He said hurriedly as he slowly re-opened the door, trying to show her that he meant no harm. He gently closed the door behind him. He simply wanted to talk to her. "Please, give me a chance."

Sara turned and glared at him, focusing all of her anger and frustration on him. She shook her head.

"No. You had your chance. You had more than one." She spat at him, liking the extra edge the tequila had given her.

Grissomstayed silent this time. She was right, he couldn't argue with her. He didn't even want to argue, he just wanted to tell her. He was determined to tell her everything he had planned to, he just wasn't sure that he could say anything to convince her to let him stay, to give him another chance. After all, it'd be the last chance that he'd ever need. He wasn't going to blow this one.

"Please." Hesaid sincerely, with a little urgency.

The room fell into silence as Sara considered it. Deep down she knew that she was going to give him another chance, whether she really wanted to or not. She couldn't help it, because there was no way she could deny him of it.She just hated that he could move her so easily, that he could plead with her and make her break. It'd been so hard for her to ignore him, to keep him from speaking to her, but really it's all that she needed. She made a quick decision upon realizing that they'd fallen into a strange silence, and his eyes were upon her, waiting for her. Sara wanted to hear what he had to say, she wanted to give him another chance, but this time she promised herself that it would be the last. She wouldn't make any moves, and if he wasted his chance, she'd never try to make a move ever again. She inwardly sighed. She hoped that she wouldn't regret it all later.

"Fine." She gestured a little uneasily towards the couch and watched as he slowly took a seat. She suddenly hated him, hated how he could easily change her normally stubborn mind.

Grissom looked at the ground, searching for the right words to start with, and the best way for him to explain to her, if he could even explain it to her at all. He was at least going to try.

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I know this is way over due. Bad Brittin. Didn't have much time for fics, but all that has changed now.I know this isn't much of a chapter,was gonna go in adifferent direction but decided to do it this way.As always lemme know what y'all think of this chapter and if I should continue. Reviews are love. I promise I'll update faster! Sorry again, and sorry for any typos/grammatical errors, just typed and uploaded straight away. I'd offer y'all a pot plant but somehow I don't think it'd cut it. Haha. / Britt. 


	6. Part Six

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**Masquerade & Disguise**

_Part Six_

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Grissom resisted the insane urge to twiddle his thumbs as he sat there, pondering the words he would soon say to resolve things. He couldn't handle the silence, but at the same time he was desperate to maintain it. What could he possibly say to her? He tried to figure out what it was that he'd want to hear if their roles were reversed. He tried to construct the sentences in his mind, ready to be spoken aloud, but his efforts were pointless. He wasn't good with this sort of thing, he never was. And yet he felt that she expected it of him, that she expected him to be able to say the things she wanted, or needed to hear, and everything would work out fine. If only things were that simple. He stole another glance at her. It seemed that her anger had all but melted away, though she now seemed to be growing impatient. He cleared his throat. This was it. 

"Sara...I didn't come here to apologize..." He began, and immediately knew that he'd gotten off on the wrong foot. She narrowed her gaze, practically shot daggers at him, and he knew he needed to explain himself further. "I'm not _just _here to apologize...deep down I know that I'm not sorry for what I did at that ball." He paused and watched her reaction to his words before he continued on.

"I'd planned it. I've always felt that there is something between us. I needed to see whether there was still something there, even when you were oblivious to my identity. I just needed to make sure...to prove to myself...I know now..." He trailed off. He realized just how selfish his actions were beginning to sound.

Sara nodded slowly. She already knew this, she'd come to that conclusion almost immediately after she'd seen his face that night. But she didn't say anything; she remained silent as he continued to fumble through his sentences. She had to admit that the intense anger and frustration she'd felt mere minutes earlier had all but vanished as she listened to him. She knew how hard it must be for him to say these things, and she appreciated it. Grissom stopped. He felt as though he'd been speaking for hours when really it'd only been a few minutes.

"I'm not sorry for kissing you. I'm not sorry for that at all...But I am sorry, about the trip home." He managed to say, thinking it would be a lot harder to apologize. "I just didn't want it to be like that, under those circumstances. I thought you were just getting me back for what happened on the balcony." He said as he looked down at his feet. He really did feel guilty for not letting things go further, but at the same time he was glad that nothing had happened. It wasn't how he'd imagined it.

She smiled; she really was only trying to get some revenge, although it had hurt her more than it had hurt him. She wanted to apologize for that too, but she continued to remain silent, giving him more time to say whatever was left on his mind. He'd said so much to her in so little words, and the expressions on his face had told her even more. She'd heard what she felt she'd needed to hear, and yet there was something else she was waiting for...Something else she needed to hear him say to make it real for her.

Grissom realized that they'd fallen into silence again. Now that they both knew of each other's interest, and of the strength of the attraction between them, he wondered ifthings would be different between them now...and whether or not they were in a relationship now. He wanted to ask her, to find out where they stood now. But he still had more to say, he just wasn't sure if Sara was prepared to hear it. Instead he decided to lead up to what he needed to say.Grissom rambled on about his feelings for her in the only way he knew how; through odd stories and recollections of cases, and moments in the lab that had meant more to him than what they would if they were simply just friends. He managed to find himself in a comfortable mood now, and it seemed Sara was now more relaxed as well.

They were in a silence once again. Sara couldn't help but notice how much her mood had changed, how much of a difference there was in her mood, and how happy she felt knowing that he felt it too. All the moments she'd considered to be meaningful hadn't been figments of her imagination. Those small, yet simple gestures, exchanges, conversations, everything she'd remembered meant something to Grissom as well. He watched her, wondering what it was she was thinking. He was amazed that he'd been able to say so much to her, and that she hadn't thrown him out. He was still there, and he still had one last thing to say to her.

Sara's attention was drawn back to Grissom as he shifted his weight on the couch and cleared his throat. She suddenly began to panic. What she'd been waiting to hear for so long was probably going to be said to her in seconds, and she realized that she wasn't ready to hear it. She abruptly stood, disrupting Grissom's line of thought and effectively preventing him from saying anything further.

"Do you want something to drink? I'm should've offered you something earlier..." She trailed off as she quickly headed to the kitchen with Grissom close behind.

"No, thank you." He replied as he watched her collect two glasses from the cupboard.

_"I_ _sure could..."_ Sara thought as she eyed the bottle of tequila, but decided to go with water instead. She filled the glass and gulped it down before reaching to fill it once again.

Grissom frowned, wondering what exactly had gotten into her. He put his hand in the way of the tap, and held her hand in his as he turned her around. He'd finally composed himself and found the most perfect words he could muster. He'd waited years for this, and he needed to say it now. Before he could even breathe a word she'd moved closer to him, and it was his turn to panic. She slipped her arm around his neck as she pulled him into a kiss. Moments later they were both breathing hard and gasping for air after finally parting. He tried to gather his thoughts once more but she kissed him again, this time harder, forcing him up against the sink. All thoughts of a simple conversation left both their minds as they soon found themselves heading towards her bedroom, leaving a trail of discarded thoughts and clothing behind them.

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Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, and to all 21 of you who have this on alert. It's the most interest I've had in a fic, y'all are rad. I really didn't know where to go with it, it's freakin hard to write for Grissom when he's never said anything remotely like this to Sara. The shortest chapter so far, and it isn't the greatest I've ever done. It would've been longer but I rushed it, I'm not sure I'll be able to get online next. Let me know what y'all though and if you'd like me to continue. Thanks again to everyone who has read and reviewed/ **Britt**


	7. Part Seven

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**Masquerade & Disguise**

_Part Seven_

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Sara looked across the crowded room. She searched the sea of masked dancers, desperately trying to find him amongst them. The music played softly, a rhythmic and enthralling melody that the dancers moved along to in sync. She became mesmerized by them, almost hypnotized by their movements. Her gaze swept across the ballroom floor once more. A figure across the room caught her eye; only a glimpse, but it was enough. She'd found him. Sara began to make her way across the dance floor, the swirling figures parting with every step she made, clearing a single path for her. She kept her eyes on the man in the distance. Everything around her faded away...the music, the people, even the room itself. He was all that remained defined in her vision. 

Suddenly he turned away from her. Her surroundings came crashing back into her thoughts. The music now was almost deafening, the walls of the ballroom seemed to have begun to close in on her, and the dancers...their faces which were once simple masks were now horribly disfigured, their mouths curled into wicked smiles. The space before her quickly disappeared, her path now littered with the dancers. She eagerly searched for him, only to see him leave the room, the door slowly closing behind him. She called out to him but her voice caught in her throat. On the verge of tears she began to push her way through the crowd. She desperately tried to ignore the hundreds of eyes upon her, and the sound of laughter that sounded from behind her. She reached the other side of the ballroom and stood where he had been only moments earlier. She pushed the door open and called out to him once more. This time she had found her voice, but it didn't find him.

Sara paused as she found herself outside, frozen in the middle of the street. The bright lights and colors of the strip blurred. The sounds of the city dulled down to an odd silence, leaving her alone with the thoughts inside her head. Had what she'd feared for so long finally come true? She fought back tears as she heard that familiar voice. She spun around, but there was nothing but an empty space. She fought the thoughts that ran through her mind, but she was losing the battle. She desperately searched her blurred surroundings, trying to find him. That voice sounded again from behind her.

"Sara..." He whispered, his breath causing a sensation on the back of her neck sending shivers down her spine.

She began to turn around, hoping that the slowness of this action wouldn't frighten him away from her. There he stood now, the only clear entity in her sight. There was no mask to be found and no mistaking his identity. Grissom outstretched his arm, inviting her to join him, enticing her to take his hand in hers. With one swift movement and without hesitation Sara found herself in his arms, safe once more. They began to slowly rock back and forth as a gentle melody began to play around them. She held onto him tightly and breathed in his scent. Revisiting the feelings and emotions that she felt in his arms made her vow that they'd never be torn apart, that she'd never leave his embrace.

"Never let me go..." She murmured, almost too softly to hear.

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Grissom shifted his weight as he moved into a more comfortable position beside her. He'd thought about this for years, and for years he'd hoped that one day he'd be there beside her, sharing a bed with her, and there he was. He propped himself up on an elbow as he looked across at her, wondering whether or not she was dreaming, and whether her dreams contained thoughts of him. She began to stir and he quickly froze, feeling as though he was intruding by watching her.

"Never let me go..." Sara barely whispered.

He gently tucked a stray curl away from her face before leaning over to kiss her cheek, "I won't."

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Sara rolled onto her side, outstretching her hand across the other side of the bed. It took her a few seconds to fully awaken, but she soon realized that there shouldn't have been an empty space beside her. Her eyes snapped open. She sat up and looked beside her, finding herself alone in her bed. Sara could feel certain thoughts and emotions returning to her, ones that she'd felt in that dream she'd just awoken from. She could handle those things in dreams, but had what she'd dreaded in her dreams come to true in life? How could he just leave her? A mix of emotions clouded her thoughts as she threw the sheets to the side and headed towards the bathroom. She leant against the basin as she stared at her reflection. How could she have been so stupid? She'd always thought this would happen...She fought back tears, telling herself that he didn't deserve a single tear, not if he could let go of her so easily. She angrily made her way to the kitchen, but the sight before her caused her to stop dead in her tracks.

"Grissom," she murmured without realizing that she'd done so. All thoughts quickly changed from anger to shock. He frowned; she seemed surprised to see him there, standing in her kitchen, cooking her breakfast. "I thought..." She began before shaking her thoughts away. How could she have been so quick to assume? She should've known better.

He made his way to her and pulled her into a hug. "I'll never let go of you." He said, making sure that she knew it. He kissed her forehead before tucking that same rogue curl behind her ear. Sara's face quickly morphed into a bright shade of red as she looked down at her feet, embarrassed that he'd heard her. She looked back up at him, wondering just how much he'd heard, but soon realized that it didn't matter.

"I know." She squeezed him tighter as she grinned, knowing that he meant what he had said.

"I love you," he said, almost trying to quickly fit it in before she even knew it was coming. The last time he'd tried to say it her actions had surprised him, to say the least. But now there was no escaping it.

Sara smiled, her eyes locked onto his. Those three little words that she'd yearned to hear and yet had been so afraid of sounded so good. "I love you too."

They remained in each others arms, both enjoying the comfort of the embrace. They'd waited years to end up like this, and they both wondered why they hadn't decided to do something about it so much sooner. But that didn't matter now, they were together, and he really would never let her go, not now that he had a hold of her. Grissom sighed as he remembered what he had been doing. He looked at her with a smile on his face. He could see himself doing this every morning for the rest of his life.

"Now...how do you like your eggs?"

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Thanks for the awesome response to the last chapter! I really appreciate your reviews. I thought for a while about this chapter, I knew it would be the end, but I didn't know how it should end, thus the eggs, lmao. I hope y'all enjoyed it. It was fun to write despite the writer's block and all. Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed, I'm glad that you liked it, and hopefully I did some justice with the ending. Sorry for any typos/mistakes, still lacking a beta. As always, let me know what y'all thought. Thanks again / **Britt**


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